[DubiousPusher]

Agreed. Unfortunately we find ourselves in an era of legislative stagnation. Obscure and popular policy alike have been unable to move through the legislative process for almost seven years. Compounding the problem is the rapid pace of change we live with. The legislature, unable to resolve many of the issues of the 20th century is building a heap of 21st century ones. And the growth rate of that heap is increasing, accelerating its increase in mass.

If history is any indicator, in political systems this broken, other institutions collect power and either that power is sustained and relieves legal pressure or that power is revoked and the pressure builds until the system comes apart.

[turkishgetup]

> If history is any indicator, in political systems this broken, other institutions collect power and either that power is sustained and relieves legal pressure or that power is revoked and the pressure builds until the system comes apart.

Just curious if you can give a good Western example for similar things happening in history?

I found striking parallels between the United States and China's Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty was the most prosperous and influential era of ancient China, in terms of both culture and military. It was marked with culture fusion and immigrants from across the sino-sphere settled in its capital. During the early times of this dynasty, a meritocratic higher education admission system was first instituted to provide an avenue for upward mobility. Life was prosperous and Tang people were fat.

All of that started falling apart after 200 years of reign, and the late stage of the empire was dysfunctionalized by highly partisan power struggles between two fractions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niu–Li_factional_strife). The meritocracy also failed, as the rich could afford better education and examination preparation, and the examiners gave preference to the applicants from wealthy families. You can call it the Imperial Chinese Ivy League legacy. The power of the throne waned, and the emperors were stuck between or murdered by warlords and eunuchs.

Tang Dynasty lasted a total of 289 years. If the United States survives 2065, then it beats Tang’s record.

[DubiousPusher]

The late Roman Republic comes to mind. Problems regarding labor, citizenship and military service became significant after the third Punic War. The oligarchic Senate was opposed to really any major changes in these areas that would relieve the problems.

As things grew more dire a succssion of more and more radical populist leaders attempted to change the system from within by standing for election but most were assassinated.

Generals like Marius and Sulla began skirting the law to move the law ahead as they saw fit but leaving the system intact. Finally, Julius Caesar came along with a promise to fix everything but by destroying the republican system rather than by conforming to it. At this point it's no surprise that many Romans no longer cared.